In this paper, via electromigration (EM) lifetime with self-ionized plasma (SIP) and metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) methods for barrier metal deposition were compared. A via with normal SIP method barrier metal deposition has much longer EM lifetime than that with the single-step MOCVD method for barrier metal deposition in our process condition. A possible cause of shorter EM lifetime with the MOCVD method is the less dense barrier metal film and impurities in the MOCVD film. The film deposited with MOCVD was of lower density, and there are some carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen impurities despite the plasma treatment occurring after film deposition for MOCVD. In order to increase film density, make the film tighter, and remove impurities more completely, we deposited the barrier metal with the two-step MOCVD method followed by double plasma treatments. We found that much longer EM lifetime was achieved with this change. Twice the plasma treatment gave the barrier film better quality and much longer via EM lifetime. (c) 2005 The Electrochemical Society.